Brew a Better Cup of Coffee

Let's face it, that Starbucks you enjoy every morning before work is starting to take a toll on your pocketbook, and when you just want to laze around on the weekends, running out to wait in line for a cup of joe is the last thing you want to do. The simple solution is to brew your own coffee. Here are a few tips to brewing a better cup of java at home:

1. Since ground coffee tends to go stale faster, buy whole beans and store them in the freezer for up to a month. If you'll be using them within two weeks, store in the fridge.
2. Don't grind the coffee too fine, as this will result in a bitter-tasting brew. And by the way, a good coffee grinder needn't be expensive; I got mine at Home Goods for around eleven bucks.
3. Use cold, filtered water to brew your coffee.
4. Two level tablespoons (not teaspoons!) of coffee for every six (not eight!) ounces of water will yield a better-tasting cup.
5. Instead of leaving the coffee in the coffeemaker pot, which can cause it to scorch as it sits on the warmer, pour it into an insulated carafe to keep it hot and fresh-tasting. 
6. To help keep the coffee even hotter, heat the carafe up by pouring boiling water into it as the coffee brews. Then dump the water and replace it with the coffee to serve. You can also do this if you're using a travel mug.

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